Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-12-21
A CHINESE FLOOD.
The Yellow River, 'China's Sorrow -
Overtlows it's Banks-Immense Num-
Der of Lives Lost, and 100000 Peo-
pie Made Homeless.

The steamship City Of Sydney ar
rived at San Francisco on the 18th from
Hong Kong and Yokohama Chinese
papers give details of disaster occa-
stoned by the Yellow River overfowing
its banks in the province of Honan and
describe it as one Of the most appalling
distinctions of life and property re-
corded in recent times The river broke
it's banks on the evening of September
28,southwest of Ching Chow and not only
completely inundated that city, but also
ten other populous cities. The whole
area is now raging sea ten to thirty
feet deep where 1t was once a densely
populated and rich plain. The former
bed of the Yellow River is now dry and
the present lake was the bed of the
river centuries ago. The loss of life is
incalculable and the statement is made
by missionaries that millions of
Chinese are homeless and starry
ing. Thomas Patton, one of the
American missionaries, writing from the
Honan province, under date of October
%, says: The newly gath cred crops,
houses and trees are all swept away, in
volving fearful loss of life. The coun-
try was covered with fine winter grain,
which is gone and implies complete
destruction of the next years crop.
Bread, Bread is the cry of
thousands who are on the river
bank. Benevolent people go in boats
and throw bread among the masses
here and there. but it is nothing COM
pared with the requirements. The mass
Of people is still being increased by con-
tinual arrivals even more hungry than
the last. There they sit, stunned, hun
CRY and detected without rag to wear,
or morsel OF food Mat huts are being
erected for them. What it will be in
two months | cannot conceive. The
misery is increased owing to the bitter
lv cold weather"
Yellow River has long been known as
"China's Sorrow and the present dis
aster has served to reassert its right to
the terrible title. AS yet the details of
the disaster are very meager. It has
occurred in a district where but few
foreigners are, and reports furnished
by officials and published in the
Pekln Gazette convey very in
adequate idea Of the extent of the
loss OF lille and property and sutferings
nan reports to the throne that "nearly
all people have been drowned in the
district reached by the water, the sur
vivors being those who escaped to high
ground or took refuge in trees, where
they remained until they were rescued.
This gives but little impression rs to
what the extent of the disaster really is.
The Chinese Times states that in the
province of Chilli, where disastrous in
undatlOn have also occurred, there are
10000 people homeless, and adds that
the misery in the province is trifing
compared to that of the Huango-Ho or
Yellow River district. The extent Of
ground swept over by the overwhelming
food given in English figures, is over
1000 square miles and land thus sub
merged formed a part of one of the
richest and most densely populated
plains of Northern China. The
necessity for liberal and may therefore
be imagined Already considerable
sums have been Contributed towards the
relief Of the sufferers. The Emperor
of China has given 100000 taels and
subscription lists have been started in
Shanghai to which foreigners have lib
orally contributed Millions have been
rendered homeless and entirely de-
prived of all chances of earning live
libood, for their fields will either become
permanent lakes Or uninhabitable
SWampS.
1t is feared that the distress which will
be felt during the coming winter will
equal in intensity the famine of ten years
ago when the charitable donations con-
tributed from all parts Of the world
were utterly inadequate. 1t is stated
that owing to the action taken by the
Yellow River, it no longer flows toward
the sea, but seems content in converting
Eastern Honan and Northern Nganwnui
into lake. 1t may ultimately flow into
the sea through the Kiangon. or it NAV
even possibly join the Yang Use.